Variable-speed gearing.



J. J. MYBR-S. VARIABLE SPEED GBARING. APPLICATION FILED $211.29, 1911.

Patented Dec.1 7,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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J; J. MYERS. VARIABLE SPEED GEARING. APPLIGATION FILED APR.29, 1911.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

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Y .J. J. MYERS.

VARIABLE SPEED GBARING.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29, 1911.

Patented Dec. 17,1512;

3 QHEBTSSHEET 3.

litter-n2 useful Improvements in Variable-Speed JAMES JOSEPH MYERS, OFTHURLES, IRELAND.

VARIABLE-SPEED GEARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

Application filed April 29, 1911. Serial No. 624,050.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES JOSEPH MYERS, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at' Grrallagh House, Thurles, county Tipperary,Ireland, have invented new and Gearing, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention is designed to provide an improved means ofchanging the speed of a driven shaft to any desired degree between zeroand a maximum in either d1- rection while the "driving shaft is runningat a constant speed, applicable for transmitting power from any sourcesuch as an engine, a turbine, or an electromotor whether stationary oron a vehicle or vessel; also for use on cranes; for alterin the cuttingspeeds or feeds of machine too s; for altering the rate of distributionon machines for distributing materials; or for any purpose for which avariable speed gearing may be required.

My invention relates to improvements in variable speed gearing of thatclass in which a sun wheel engages with a number of planet pinionsmounted on a spider and controlled through free wheel or one-Wayclutches by lever arms whose ends are maintained on a circular trackwhich may be brought from a position concentric with the sun wheel topositions of varying eccentricity, a variable difference of thevelocities .of spider and sun wheel being thus obtainable.

In variable speed gearing of the class referred to as usuallyconstructed, the spider and sun wheel rotate and the ends of the armsattached to the one-way clutch mechanisms are constrained to follow acircular track or roller path, the center of said path remaining fixedfor each particular speed ratio; the speed of the driven part beingequal to that of the driver when the path is concentric with the sunwheel and increasing with the eccentricity of the path.

In the specification of my patent applica tion No. 624049 filed the 29thApril 1911 I describe the use in this class of variable speed gearing ofa balanced rotating variable throw eccentric by which the speed of adriven shaft may be varied to any degree between zero and a maximum witheither a fixed spider carrying the planet pinions or-a fixed sun wheel.It may be desirable (for instance, with high driving shaft speeds, whenthe rat-i0 of the speed of the driving shaft to the maximum speed of thedriven shaft is high or when it is desired to dispense with themechanism for altering the eccentricity of the roller path while itscenter is rotating) to operate the gearing with the center of the rollerpath fixed for each particular speed of the driven shaft.

If the driving shaft were connected to the spider and the driven shaftto the sun-wheel, or the driving shaft to the sun Wheel and the drivenshaft to the spider,-the arrangement would be equivalent to the usualform of eccentrically operated epicyclic or sun and planet variablespeed gearingthe ratio of the speed of the driven shaft to that of thedriver could be varied from unity upward, but the driven shaft could notbe driven at a lower speed than'the driver.

According to the present invent-ion a method is provided of imparting toa driven shaft a speed variable'bet-ween zero and a maximum from tworevolving parts the ratio of whose speeds may be varied from unity whileone of them runs at constant speed. This method consists in connecting abevel wheel of a difierential gearing to one of the revolving parts, abevel wheel of a .second differential gearing to the other revolvingpart and connecting the two remaining bevel wheels together. Then if oneof the planet rings is fixed a speed varying from zero to a maximum maybe imparted to the other planet ring by altering the speed ratio of thetwo revolving parts from unity, one of these parts continuing to revolveat constant speed.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure 1 shows a side view partly in section of theeccentric variable speed gearing. Fig. 2 shows an end view with thecover removed and partly a sectional view on the line XX of Fig. 1. Fig.3 shows a detail view of the worm gearing for turnin the eccentric camwheel or roller path. Figs. 4 and 5 show end sectional views on the lineY Y of Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 7 show detail views of a planet pinion withits free wheel hub, pair of lever arms, and rollers. Fig. 8 showsdetails of one form of one-way clutch or free wheel hub mechanism thatmight be used. Fig. 9 shows a differential gearing and clutch mechanismdriven through gearing shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for obtaining any speedfrom zero to a maximum in both directions. Fig. 10 shows a differentialgearing driven through the gearing shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for obtainingthe speed variable in one direction only. Fig. 11 shows an alternativeconstruction of eccentric cam wheel or roller path in the eccentricvariable speed gearing shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and Figs. 12 and 13 showa spur wheel instead of a balanced lever for changing the position ofthe roller path in its casing.

Referring now to the drawings, a sun and planet train, composed of asun-wheell and of a number of planet wheels 4 mounted on one-way clutchmechanisms or free wheel hubs pivoted on a spider 3 is encircled by acam wheel 10 whose inner surface 9 bears against the rollers '8 pivotedbetween pairs of lever arms 5 attached to the free wheel hubs of theplanet pinions 4. Other rollers 11 bear simultaneously on a shoulder 60shown in Fig. 1 formed on the cam wheel 10.

The spider 3 is attached to a shaft 18 and the sun-wheel is integralwith a sleeve or hollow shaft 2; or, alternatively, the sun-wheel isattached to the shaft 18 and the spider to a sleeve; or the centralshaft 18 may be divided and the spider attachedto one part and the sunwheel to the other.

The cam wheel 10 is contained in a casewheel 14 the interior of which iseccentric to the sunwheel to the same extent that the exterior of thecam wheel is eccentric to its interior. A balanced lever 19 engaging ina slot 20 in the cam-wheel 10 is attached to a sleeve 17 which may beturned relatively to the case wheel 14 by means of a worm 15 mounted onthe case wheel 14 and engaging with a worm wheel 16' integral with thesleeve 17.

The case wheel 14 is fixed to or forms part of the frame ofthe machine.The eccentricity of the roller path 9 is altered by turning the wormwheel 15 by means of a handwheel on its spindle ofitherwise. It is clearfrom the known properties of this class of gearing that if the drivingshaft is connected to the spider 3 and the driven shaft to the sunwheell or if the drivin shaft is connected to the sun wheel 1 and t e drivenshaft to the spider 3, then the speed of the driven shaft will be equalto that of the driving shaft when the roller path is concentric with thesun wheel but will gradually increase if the roller path is graduallybrought to its posi-' tion of maximum eccentricity; in other words,according as the eccentricity of the roller path increases from zero toa maximum the ratio of the speed of the driven shaft to the speed of thedriving shaft will increase from unity to a maximum.

In Fig. 9 it is shown how a speed gradually variable from zero to amaximum may be imparted to the driven shaft.

Of the bevel wheels 41 and 42 one is rigidly connected to the sun wheel1 through the hollow shaft 2 while the other is rigidly connected to thespider 3 through the shaft 18; and bevel wheels 43 and 44 are rigidlyconnected together by being attached to the ends of a sleeve orotherwise. A ring of planet wheels 45 is adapted to mesh with the bevelwheels 41 and 43 and a ring of planet wheels 46 is adapted to mesh withthe bevel wheels 42 and 44. As the difference in the speeds of thewheels 41 and 42 is increased by increasing the cam wheel oreccentricity of'the roller path 10, if the ring 45 is fixed a speedincreasing from zero to a maximum will be imparted to the ring 46; or ifthe ring 46 is fixed a speed increasing from zero to a maximum will beimparted to the ring 45, but in the opposite direction.

If a speed variable from zero to a maximum in one direction only isrequired, the arrangement shown in Fig. 10 may be used in which one ofthe rings is permanently fixed and the other connected with themechanism to be driven. In this case the driving shaft could beconnected to one of the planet wheels of the fixed ring 45 instead of tothe spider 3 or the sun wheel 1.

If a variable speed in both directions is required an arrangement may bemade for fixing either of the rings at will and connecting the otherring simultaneously to the shaft to be driven. The driven shaft 47 hasloosely mounted thereon wheels 48 and 50 in mesh with the planet rings45 and 46. The said shaft 47 has slidingly mounted thereon a doublefriction or claw clutch 49 adapted to clutch either the wheel 48 or thewheel 50 to the said driven shaft 47 A lever 51 is provided with brakeblocks or detents or the like at its ends adapted to respectively engagewith the wheels 48 and 50. This lever 51 is operated by a lever 52 bymeans of which the clutch 49 can be moved to couple either one of saidwheels 48 or 50 to the driven shaft 47, and simultaneously to fix theother of said wheels and the corresponding planet wheel ring by means ofone or other of the brake blocks or detents at the end of the lever 51.

As shown in Fig. 11 the cam wheel or roller path 10 may be provided withtwo shoulders 60 and rollers 11 may be arranged on both sides of thelever arms 5 adapted to rest on said shoulders simultaneously with therollers 8 resting on the surface 9 of said roller path. The latterconstruction may conveniently be used with the pawls arranged so thatthe working pressure bears upon said shoulders 60 instead of on thecylindrical surface 9 of said cam wheel 10.

As shown in Figs. 12 and 13 a spur wheel 61 on the sleeve 17 in meshwith an annular ring of teeth 62 cut on or fixed to the cam a pair ofbevel wheels mounted on the ends of a sleeve mounted loosely on saidcentral shaft, a ring of pinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevelwheel mounted on said central shaft and with one of said loose 1 sleevebevel wheels, a second ring of pinion wheels adapted to mesh. with saidbevel wheel mounted on said concentric shaft and the bevel wheel at theother end of said loose sleeve, a driven shaft, means for looking one ofsaid rings of pinion wheels and means for connectlng the other ring ofpinion wheels with said driven shaft.

2. In a variable speed gearing the combination of a central shaft, ahollow shaft concentric with said central shaft, means .for rotatingsaid shafts, a bevel wheel rigidly mounted on said central shaft, abevel wheel rigidly mounted .on said concentric shaft, a pair of bevelwheels mounted on the ends of a sleeve mounted loosely on said centralshaft, a ring of pinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevel wheelmounted on said central shaft and with one of said loose sleeve bevelwheels, a second ring of pinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevelwheel mounted on said concentric shaft and the bevel wheel at the otherend of said loose sleeve, a driven shaft, a pair of wheels looselymounted on said driven shaft in mesh with said rings of pinion wheels, adouble clutch slidingly mounted on said driven shaft between said loosewheels adapted to clutch one or the other of said loose wheels to thedriven shaft, a lever provided with engaging members at its ends adaptedto respectively engage with said loose wheels, a second lever operatingsaid engaging lever through which said clutch can be moved to couple oneof said loose wheels to the driven shaft and simultaneously to fix theother loose wheel and its corresponding ring of pinion wheels by meansof one or the other of the engaging members at the ends of said firstlever.

3. In a variable speed gearing the combination of a central shaft, acentral gear wheel mounted on said central shaft, pinion wheels adaptedto engage said central gear wheel, a spider carrying said pinion wheels,lever arms controlling, said pinion wheels through one way clutches, afixed eccentric track in engagement with the ends of said lever arms, abevel wheel rigidly connected to said central gear wheel, a. bevel wheelrigidly connected with said spider,- a pair of bevel wheels mounted onthe ends of a sleeve mounted loosely on said central shaft, a ring ofpinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevel wheel connected with. saidcentral gear wheel and with one of said loose sleeve bevel wheels and asecond ring of pinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevel wheel,connected'with said spider, and the bevel wheel at the other end of saidloose sleeve, a driven shaft, means for locking one of said rings ofpinion wheels and means for connecting the other ring of pinion wheelswith said driven shaft.

4. In a variable speed gearing the combination of a central shaft, acentral gear wheel mounted on said central shaft. pinion wheelsadaptedto engage said central gear wheel, aspider carrying said pinion wheels,

lever arms controllingsaid pinion wheelsthrough one way clutches, afixed eccentric track in engagement with the ends of said lever arms, abevel wheel rigidly connected to said central gear Wheel, a bevel wheelrigidly connected with said spider, and a pair of bevel wheels mountedon the ends of a sleeve mounted loosely on said central shaft, a ring ofpinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevel wheels connected with saidcentral gear wheel and with one of said loose sleeve bevel wheels, asecond ring -of pinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevel wheelconnected with said spider and the bevel wheelat the other end of saidloose sleeve, a driven shaft, a pair of wheels loosely mounted on saiddriven shaft in mesh with said rings of pinion wheels, a

double clutch slidingly mounted on said driven shaft between said loosewheels' adapted to clutch one or other of said loose wheels to thedriven shaft, a lever provided with engaging members at its ends adaptedto respectively engage with said loose wheels, a second lever operatingsaid engaging lever through which said clutch can be moved to couple oneof said loose wheels to the driven shaft and simultaneously to fix theother loose wheel and its corresponding ring of pinion wheels by meansof one a or the other of the engaging members at the ends of said firstlever.

5. In a variable speed gearing the combination of a central shaft, acentral gear wheel mounted on said central shaft, pinion wheels adaptedto engage said central gear wheel, a spider carrying said pinion wheels,lever arms controlling the said pinion wheels through one way clutches,rollers at the ends of said lever arms, a fixed eccentric roller pathencircling said pinion wheels and said central gear wheel and inengagement with the rollers at the ends of'said' lever arms, a bevelwheel rigidly connected to said central gear wheel, a bevel wheelrigidly connected with said spider and a pair of bevel wheels mounted onthe ends of a sleeve mounted loosely on said central shaft, a ring ofpinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevel wheel connected with saidcentral gear wheel and with one of said loose sleeve bevel wheels and asecond ring of pinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevel wheelconnected with said spider and the bevel wheel at the other end of saidloose sleeve, a driven shaft, means for locking one of said ring ofpinion wheels and means for connecting the other ring of pinion wheelswith said driven shaft.

6. In a variable speed gearing the combination of a central shaft, acentral gear wheel mounted on said central shaft, pinion wheels adaptedto engage said central gear Wheel, a spider carrying said pinion wheels,lever arms controlling the said pinion wheels through one way clutches,rollers at the ends of said lever arms, fixed eccentric roller pathencircling said pinion wheels and said central gear wheel and inengagement with the rollers at the ends of said lever arms and having acircular shoulder projecting from said roller path, secondary rollers atthe ends of said lever arms adapted to bear against said circularshoulder, a bevel Wheel rigidly connected with said spider, and a pairof bevel wheels mounted on the ends of a sleeve mounted loosely on saidcentral shaft, a ring of pinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevelwheel and with one of said loose sleeve bevel wheels and a second ringof pinion wheels adapted to mesh with said bevel wheel connected withsaid spider and the bevel wheel at the other end of said loose sleeve, adriven shaft, means for looking one of said ring of pinion wheels andmeans for connecting the other ring of pinion wheels with said drivenshaft.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES JOSEPH MYERS.

Witnesses:

JAMES SMITH, DENIS DESMOND.

